Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-17
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER il, 1887.
United states Senate.

The terms OF about one third of the
United States senators expire with the
expiration OF each Congress. The Con-
stitution provides that the terms Of one
third shall expire, hut whom the number
Of senators is indivisible equally 10y
three. the terms Of just one third cannot
expire at once. Anyhow, on the first Mon
day in December next there will appear
in the Senate twenty-five new senators
new Icy reason of reelection or Of a first
election. These twenty-five new sena-
tors hail from the Suites OF California,
Connecticut, Delaware, FioridaS In
diana, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts,
Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Mis-
souri,, Nebraska, Nevada, Now Jersey,
New York. Ohio, Pennsylvania. Rhode
Island. Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Vir-
einia, West Virginia. and Wisconsin.
How are these new senators divided
rs between the two parties? We make
ont twelve Dcmocm.s and thirteen Re
pubicans. How are the other fitty-one
senators divided as between the two par
ties? Tventy.six of them are Republi-
cans and twenty-five of them are Demo
Gratis. counting Mr. RDDLEBERGER as
Republican, whereas twcnty-six of them
are Democrats and twenty-five of them
are Republicans counting Mr.. RID
DLEBrnGrH MS a Democrat. 1t is
clear case. therefore, that it is
for Mir. BuprrBfBGEE to decide
whether any Of the new senators
shuu be seated as soon MS the Senate
convones, and without objection. 1t is
usual to admit ut once the applicant who
comes with the Governors certificate,
and let his seat he contested afterwards,
if at all. If this rule shall be adhered
to. the senators from Indiana, West
Virginia. and New jersey, each Of them
having the Governors certificate We be- /
hcye. viii be admitted at once.
But suppose the Republicans try to
keep the two or three claimants whose
seats are contested from taking their
seats at once. Then We she'll expect Mr..
RDDLEBEHGERt to stand hy right and JUS
tice and the custom az tie Senate. We
would fam believe that there are other
Rapublican senators who VIII vote to
seat, without delay. all claimants holding
proper certificates, and leave their
titles TO their seats 20 he decided
afterwards. But anyhow we shall ez-
pect Mr.. RInDLEBrEGER to refuse to be a
party to any departure from the custom
of the Senate. Both the claimants from
West Virginia are Democrats, so in that
case there can properly be no party
question involved. 1t is feared, however,
that the INSCRIPTIONS Republicans in
the Senate viii try to keep Mr. FAUX
NER out in order to have a Republican
majority in that body. Mr.. RIDDLZBEB-
GER or any other one Republican
senator will have it in bis power
TO prevent the Preparation Of such
wrong, by voting with the Democrats
TO seat all the new senator's at once, or
else to send the credentials Of all Of
them to the proper committee, and when
the committeo reports to swear in at one
time as many Democrats as Republicans
until the lest batch OF them shall "come
to the book.
lisa remarkable fact that Mr. RID
DLEBERGER SHOULD in 1887 have the cast
ing vote in the SENATE, as MALONE had
it in 1881. We confidently expect him
10 refuse to play now the ro'o which Ma
HONE played then.